The Breastplate of Faith and Love

Take any man even of the mildest disposition, if in any thing that he loveth much, and intendeth much, there be an intercurrent impediment that shall interrupt him, he is angry, though otherwise he be of a most meek disposition. For anger is but earnestness to remove the thing out of the way that hinders us: whatsoever a man loveth, he is angry with the impediments that hinder him in it. Come now and examine your love to the Lord by your anger: that anger that proceeds from love to the Lord, we call zeal: will you profess that you love the Lord, and yet your hearts are not moved when he is dishonoured? Think with thy self when thou art wronged in thy name, or some body miscalleth thee, misreports of thee, and prosecutes thee with evil speeches and revilings, is not thy wrath kindled in thee against such a one? Well, if thou love the Lord Jesus as thy self, as thou oughtest to love him above thy self, why are not thy affections stirred in thee, when thou hearest him dishonoured, when thou knowest that his Name is ill spoken of? If a man should take from thee thy wealth, or any thing that is dear to thee; if a man should come and violate thee with ill terms, thou wouldest be angry with him, and be ready to fly in the face of such an one. If you be thus affected to the Lord, and to his glory, why do you not do the like for him? You know, David did the same: Mine eyes gush out (saith he) with rivers of water because men keep not thy Law. Therefore know that, if you find ⟨p. 89⟩not your hearts affected with the things that belong to God, that there is no anger stirred up, it is a sure argument that you love him not. It is observable that is said of old Ely, 1 Sam. 4.3.¹ when news was brought him that the Israelites were fled, that moved him not so much when it was told him; moreover that there was a great slaughter among the people, that stirred him not neither; when it was told him yet that his two sons Hophni and Phinehas were slain, yet this did not so much affect him; but when it was told him that the Ark of the Lord was taken, the text noteth something more than ordinary, that he was so stirred with it, that he fell from his seat, & it cost him his life.

Take any man even of the mildest disposition, if in any thing that hee loveth much, and intendeth much, there be an intercurrent impediment that shall interrupt him, he is angry, though otherwise he be of a most meeke disposition. For anger is but earnestnesse to remove the thing out of the way that hinders us: whatsoever a man loveth, hee is angry with the impediments that hinder him in it. Come now and examine your love to the Lord by your anger: that anger that proceedes from love to the Lord, we call zeale: will you professe that you love the Lord, and yet your hearts are not moved when he is dishonoured? Thinke with thy selfe when thou art wronged in thy name, or some body miscalleth thee, misreports of thee, and prosecutes thee with evill speeches and revilings, is not thy wrath kindled in thee against such a one? Well, if thou love the Lord Iesus as thy selfe, as thou oughtest to love him above thy selfe, why are not thy affections stirred in thee, when thou hearest him dishonoured, when thou knowest that his Name is ill spoken of? If a man should take from thee thy wealth, or any thing that is deare to thee; if a man should come and violate thee with ill tearmes, thou wouldest be angry with him, and be ready to flie in the face of such an one. If you be thus affected to the Lord, and to his glory, why doe you not doe the like for him? You know, David did the same: Mine eyes gush out (saith he) with rivers of water because men keepe not thy Law. Therefore know that, if you finde